How to Revive a Rusty Pair of Garden Shears

There is nothing better than the sweet sound that a sharp pair of searers make when you prune or prune your plants. But every gardener knows how painful it is to discover that his scissors were accidentally left in the garden or found in the spring in a leaky barn. While your scissors may look like they no longer work, there are a few things you can try before you have to replace them. You can probably clean them up and shine them so they cut like new.

To prepare for this project, you’ll need a container, such as a jar, baking dish, or saucepan; salt; vinegar; steel wool; and baking soda; Toothbrush; dishwashing liquid; and water. For sharpening, you will need a sharpening tool , some sharpening stone oil , some tool oil , and a pair of sturdy work gloves.

How to make your own rust remover

To remove rust, mix a solution of two tablespoons of salt with three to four cups of vinegar. If your scissors break, you should take them apart as the mortar will work better on exposed surfaces. Then dip the scissors into the liquid and leave for 24 hours. After they get wet, you should see a noticeable difference on the surface of the metal parts. To get rid of stubborn rust stains, wipe the scissors with steel wool.

To avoid what’s called “flash rust” or quick rust caused by the acid in vinegar eating away at the surface of the steel, you need to soak the blades in an alkaline solution. Use two tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in three to four cups of water to neutralize the acid. This time, the scissors do not need to be soaked for a long time: you can simply dip them quickly and then dry them.

How to sharpen garden shears

Then put on gloves and use the sharpening tool to sharpen the blades. The part of the blade to focus on is the beveled edge that does the cutting. It will be slightly inclined from the metal surface to the edge. Some scissors have two cutting surfaces like scissors, while others will only have one blade and one blunt side that holds the stem of the plant you’re cutting. Use a sharpening tool with a few drops of sharpening oil to gently rub the edges of the blades until they are shiny. This can usually be done in four or five passes. You can also use a scissor sharpener by running it over the cutting edge of the blade about ten times.

Prevent future damage

To keep your scissors sharp and not rusty, you should use a few drops of tool oil and a rag to apply it to all the metal surfaces of the scissors. A layer of oil will protect the metal from moisture and prevent corrosion from rust. You can then collect them and make a test cut on a piece of pruned branch or some other vegetation to make sure they are sharp. To keep scissors in good condition for a long time, you should use soapy water to clean them. Use a toothbrush to scrape off any stubborn dirt, then rinse and dry your scissors and apply tool oil to protect them from moisture.